The Psalter, or Psalms of David and certain canticles / with a translation and exposition in English by Richard Rolle of Hampole ; ed. from manuscripts by the Rev. H. R. Bramley ... With an introduction and glossary.

[PSALM CXLVI.]

LAUDATE dominum quoniam bonus est psalmus: deo nostro sit iocunda decoraque laudacio. ¶ Louys oure lord for goed is the psalme; till oure god be diletabil and fayre louynge. ¶ Aswhasay, forthi louys, for it is goed to loue. Godis louynge is oure blisfulhede. he louys ay that ay wirkis goed. forthi goed is the psalme. for goed is the louynge of god in voice & dede. that it be til him delitabil and fayre. that is, when it is in vertus and charite. that is, noght in the mouth of a synful man. that in ill maners syngis a goed sange.

2. Edificans ierusalem dominus: dispersiones israelis congregabit. ¶ Biggand ierusalem oure lord; the scatiryngis of israel he sall gadire. ¶ That is, oure lord makis ierusalem the cite of heuen. of lifand stanys, that is, haly men. restorand with thaim the fallynge of aungels. and he sall gadire in a trouth and charite trew men that ware scatird. the whilke he gadirs, that tha be in his edyfyinge of heuen. ilke man in his degre. and he is.

3. Qui sanat contritos corde: & alligat contriciones eorum. ¶ That helis the contryte of hert; and he byndis all thaire brekyngis. ¶ Contryte of hert ere thai that offirs til him the sa|crifice of sorouful gast. perfit hele sall be when we ryse glorifyde in body and saule. bot now as a leche he byndis oure brekyngis of

oure krokid hertis. that thai be rightid til his luf. his byndyngis is the sacramentis, in the whilke we hafe comforth til we perfytly be hale. and he is.

4. Qui numerat multitudinem stellarum: & omnibus eis nomina vocat. ¶ That noumbirs the multitude of sternys; and til thaim all kalland namys. ¶ That is, oure lord departis all chosen men fra ill. for he knawis whilk ere his. and all thaire namys ere writen in the boke of life. and til ilkan he gifis propire gift. swa that ilke man has his name of god in his state.

5. Magnus dominus noster & magna virtus eius: & sapi|encie eius non est numerus. ¶ Grete oure lord and grete the [M. U ther. S is.] vertu of him; and of his wisdom noumbire is noght. ¶ That is, end is noght therof. for na creature may comprehend him.

6. Suscipiens mansuetos dominus: humilians autem pec|catores vsque ad terram. ¶ Resayfand lord debonere men; bot mekand the synful til the erth. ¶ If thou will cum till vndir|standynge of pryuetes be mylde. for synful men that ere sharpe and vnmyld and contrary. he mekis til the erth. that thai hafe na sauoure bot of erthly thynge.

7. Precinite domino in confessione: psallite deo nostro in cythara. ¶ Bifore syngis til lord in shrift; syngis til oure god in the harpe. ¶ That is, are god cum to take the. synge til him in shrift of thi synnys, and of louynge of him: first accuse the. sithyn loue god. and swa the ymage of god sall be refourmyd in the. and synge til him in the harpe, whare the hand folous the voice. swa the voice of louynge folou goed werkis. for he is.

8. Qui operit celum nubibus: & parat terre pluuiam. ¶ That hilis heuen with clowdis; and redis rayne til the erth. ¶ That is. he hilys halywrit with figurs. forto stire men to seke. and of that thorgh expositurs he redyis rayne of soft lare til thaim that will here his wordis. and he is.

9. Qui producit in montibus fenum: & herbam seruituti hominum. ¶ That bryngis forth hay in hillis; and gress til the seruys of men. ¶ In hils, that is, in the heghe men of the warld, the whilke lufis riches. of thaim he bryngis hay and gress. that is, bodily sustenaunce. til the seruyss of men. and til thaim that leris godis worde. all that riche men gifis til halykirke is bot hay. and he is.

10. Qui dat iumentis escam ipsorum: & pullis coruorum inuocantibus eum. ¶ That gifes til bestis thaire mete; and till briddis of krakis kalland him. ¶ That is, he gifis til the vnperfyt men of his folke. fode of godis worde. krake briddis ere sunnys [S sones. U synnys.] of synful men. that folous noght the maners of thaire fadirs. bot gifis thaim hally til godis seruys. and kallis god in till thaire hert in luf and drede. Remyge says. that whils the krake sees his [S. U hire.] bird oght white in fedirs. he forsakis it. as it ware noght his. and than god fedis it with the dew of heuen. eftire ward when it is all waxyn blake. the krake nuryssis it as his aghyn bird. Alswa when men ere white in vertus and clennes. god fedis thaim with the delitabile dew of his luf. bot when thai 'bigynne to wax [S. U om.] ' blak in syn. the deuyl resayfes thaim as his birddis. and fedis thaim with karyun of vile warldis lustis.

11. Non in fortitudine equi voluntatem habebit: nec in tybiis viri beneplacitum erit ei. ¶ Noght in strenght of hors will he sall hafe; na in shankis of man welewillynge sall be til him. ¶ Strenght of hors is the pride of contraryus men til his comaund|mentis. shankis of man bitakyns thaire degyse. atyre, & thaire licherous berynge. there god hatis. bot.

12. Beneplacitum est domino super timentes eum: & in eis qui sperant super misericordia eius. ¶ Welewillynge is til lord on dredand him; and in thaim that hopis on his mercy. ¶ That is, godis likynge is in thaim that dredis & hopis. for proude men and iolif [S ioly.] nouthere dredis him na has hope in him. for thaire luf is all sett in vanyte of this warld.